Read To Me
by AkikoW
Summary: Spell out love. In Lucy's words, "C-L-I-F-F" in that exact order. Lucy OC /Cliff and Grary.
1. Chapter One: The World Moved Around Us

Read to Me

This is my first fic, so contrary to what most might say: Lay on the constructive criticism! Just no flames. Dx Cause those are just rude.

Read to Me

Luciana Evans.

Luciana Evans, known as 'Lucy' to her friends, is the happiest person you'll ever meet, if you ever have the pleasure to meet her. If two people were having a fight and she walked in the door, smiling, they'd forget all about and began to immerse in a conversation with her. If there was an angry mob and she smiled at them while walking down the street, they'd put down their pitchforks and torches and start talking about world peace with each other. If she walked into s church while a pastor and a shy, young, extremely cute, traveler were talking, they would immediately stop and look.

And that, my dear readers, was a complete and total exaggeration; Except maybe the last one, but you'll find out about that one later.

The place where this "Lucy Evans" currently resided was a small town on the coast, known as "Mineral Town", to most. Where her story really starts, is the autumn of her second year, Autumn 2, to be exact.

"Mary, I have those books to be returned!" A chipper voice said amongst the 'ding' of the Library door bell. "Here they are, and you know, that one on Fertilizer was really good, I think I might actually buy some of the stuff for once, after reading that!" She rambled, while Mary looked at more important things.

"Lucy." Mary cut her off, "Have you been getting enough sleep?" She asked, an already stern, 'pre-lecture' expression on her face. "Why yes, of course, Mary, darling, why?" Lucy said, but seeing Mary's 'Yeah-right' look on her face, Lucy stifled a nervous laugh and said, "Well…, being a farmer's busy work!" She tried to explain.

Mary's look was turning from 'Pre-lecture' to full on 'lecture', and so Lucy began to panic. "Um, well… I only have time to read on Holidays and days with bad weather, so I do all of my reading at night!" She pleaded, giving her very own 'Please-don't-lecture-me-Mary-I'll-be-a-good-girl-promise!' look.

Mary placed her hands on her hips, the ultimate sign of her on-coming lectures, and so Lucy braced herself only to be met with the sound of an oh-so-familiar sound; The dinging of the doorbell.

Turning her head to the door, Lucy grinned, "Boy, oh, boy, Gray! Am I ever glad to see you!" She said, looking like a joker with that grin of hers. Gray raised an eyebrow at the farmer as she slid past him, and out the door, calling out a fast, "Bye, Mary, I'll see you tomorrow!" Mary began to protest, "But, Lucy, the library's not op-" Only to be cut off with the sound of the door closing behind Lucy. "The library's not open tomorrow." She mumbled, left behind.

Smiling as she walked, Lucy brushed her hands off, as to say, 'All in a day's work.'

As she strode to her next location, which was just a couple doors down. "Sasha, Karen, Jeff! Are you in?" Lucy called, walking into the Supermarket, nearly skipping, with her Wedge cut blonde hair swinging behind her.

True, her hair had been long when she first came to Mineral Town, a year and a half ago, but she had found it to not only get in the way when it came to farming, but also made her sweat like a pig in the heat of Summer.

Due to that, last fall was when she decided to let Popuri finally do her hair; Something she did quite well; of course, she must have been good at it, since it looked a lot like she did her own partial perms.

But, anyway, when Lucy walked into the Supermarket, she was only met with two of the three. 'Sasha must have already gone to gossip…'She thought, after finding the woman missing. "Hi, guys." She greeted, giving them a two-fingered salute.

Karen return Lucy's wave with a wink and a two-fingered salute. "Your usual, I suppose?" She asked, already heading over the seed counter.

"Mhmm!" Lucy nodded, grinning. "Yes, please!" She said, bounding over to Jeff, reaching into her pockets. "920 G." **1** Jeff calculated; Grinning, Lucy pulled the money out, sliding it on the counter. "Most excellent!" She exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air and grabbing the seeds.

Placing the seeds in her rucksack, waving good-bye to Jeff, and Karen, and exiting the building, she began her trek again, this time heading for the Beach; Just a short stop before heading home.

But, on the way to the beach, Lucy realized something was there, that she had never paid much attention to; The Church. Someplace she had only ever been in once, last year, for some festival.

Lucy had never thought of it much, but this time around… It seemed like it was calling to her, and Lucy did love talking on the phone, so she answered.

Opening the door, she found two figures, she couldn't see them that well in the light, immersed in a deep conversation. The two heads immediately turned to her in surprise.

"Lucy, how wonderful to see you, here." Carter, the pastor greeted. "Have you met Cliff?" He asked, motioning to the figure beside him.

At that moment, Lucy's world seemed to have shifted, and her stomach was on a trampoline. Shaking her head, she turned her attention more attuned to the young mans.

"Hi… I'm Lucy." She mumbled, not only a light pink dusting her face, but her heart began to beat faster with every step she took towards him.

"Cliff." He murmured, in a way that Lucy thought was absolutely adorable.

She needed to… Needed to know more about him, so she blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "I need to go. Bye." She rambled, fast, before turning and bolting out the door, leaving both men confused.

'Yeah… I need to go… Need to go find Mary!'

**1** Haha. No lying, 920 G. I checked. But, feel free to challenge that claim, because it was from HM: DS Cute! D This is my first Harvest Moon fic, so please review!


	2. Chapter Two: Help Me Mary!

**Alright, this chapter, I do realize that it's in first person point of view. I was kind of experimenting when I wrote this, but I don't think it's that bad… But still, it'll be a change, and I realize that so… Don't kill me. ^^; Mostly because I've already written more then half of Chapter Three and it's in Third Person point of view again, and since I don't want to keep you waiting… Here it is. =] Enjoy.**

I was running, running to the Library, my home away from home. "Mary! Mary!" I called, trying to catch her before she shut down, I had left the Church at 3:30; it was now 3:50, and the library was shutting down in 10 minutes, and I needed to catch her where we could talk alone.

I wasn't sure if Gray left, but he had better. This was urgent, as I always say, Bros before hoes, or in our case, the other way around. Anyway, I was more important then him, nyah.

Opening the door to the Library, I burst in, although, considering those two, the moment after, I wasn't too sure I should have done that… Heh. But, contrary to what they _could_ have been doing, Gray was reading a book, and Mary was writing furiously on a piece of paper at her desk, writing her novel, assumingly.

"Lucy!" Mary exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?" She asked her eyes wide. "Mary, best friend talk, A-S-A-P." I instructed, breathless from the run. "Okay… But let's not disturb Gray's reading," She hushed me, "Let's go upstairs." She suggested. Nodding, I dashed upstairs, not waiting for her, though I probably should have.

Mary, fast walking as fast as she could, flew up the stairs after me. "What is this all about?" She asked me incredulously. "Mary, do you know… Hunter? Hill?," What was his name…!? "Cliff?" Yeah, that was. "Yeah, Mary, do you know Cliff?" I asked, curiously. She nodded, "Yes, of course I do. He lives at the Inn, right?" She asked. I nodded, though he living at the Inn seemed a common fact.

"What about him?" She asked, tilting her curiously as to why I asked her and what he had to do with our 'best friends' talk. "Well… Uh; what do you know about him?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant as I said his name. Mary eyed at me suspiciously, doing the scary thing when she looked at me over her glasses and I felt as if she was that guy from the X-Men, with the laser eyes, and the glasses still did the same thing. **[1]**

"Why do you ask?" Mary asked, still eyeing me. "I, uh, just met him, and, uh, I'm curious..?" I tried, the statement coming out more like a question then a statement itself.

"Well… Not much, he's a quiet boy." Mary confessed, at last, though she was probably going to ask me about it later. "Let me think…" She said, thoughtfully tapping her chin. Does she ever _not_ think? I mean, it seems like that's all she does!

"Cliff came here a couple years ago, a traveler, though he still is. No one's sure if he's going to leave or stay, and were not even sure why he's staying. You'd be surprised the amount of gossip the women do about him, including my Mother." Mary said in earnest.

"But… Before I tell you more… Why do you want to know?" She asked suspiciously, fulfilling my prophecy. "Well… I… Don't know…" I admitted. Mary raised an eyebrow. "I guess he interests me." And that was when Mary went therapist on me.

"How do you feel when you look at him?" She asked her eyes still narrowed. "Uh… I don't know. What are you trying to imply, Mary?" I asked it was my turn to narrow my eyes at her. "Answer the question, Lucy." Mary prodded. "Fine…" I said, as I began my speech.

"Well, for one… He was… Mystifying, in the light of the Church, where I saw him. I just… Stared. I was frozen solid. I felt my heart beat quicken, and the air, it just… Moved around him, and me!" I said, nearly squealing in excitement as I was telling my friend about that wonderful feeling.

Mary broke out in a rare smile. "What is it?" I asked, regarding her grin. "Oh, Lucy!" She said an obvious glee in her voice. "I think you're in love! Did he stare back?" She asked, almost as excited as I was. "I… I don't know, but, all I could see were his eyes." I admitted, blushing. "Then he was! Oh, Lucy, this is spectacular!" She said, jumping and clapping, happily.

"Mary…?" A voice wandered up the stairs. "Are you girls okay? I heard thumping." Gray called, from the bottom of the stairs. "We're fine, Gray!" Mary said in an unusual tone for her. Gray's eyebrow raised, it sounded like two children on Christmas morning more then them, well more then Mary at least.

"Oh, Lucy, I'm so excited for you!" Mary said, turning her attention back to her friend. "So what about you?" I retorted; I had had time while Mary was calling down to Gray to of a clever comeback, thank goodness. "What do you mean, Lucy?" Mary asked. "What about you and Gray, huh? Huh?" I asked, acting like a six-year-old admittedly. Act your age? Yeah, right.

"What do you mean?" Mary asked. "You two have obviously gotten something going on; or are too shy to admit it." I prodded, trying to imitate Mary's over-the-glasses look, without the glasses.

"There's nothing going on! We're friends, Lucy. I'm appalled you'd say something like that!" Mary scolded her. "Well, do you like him?" I asked, trying to act innocent. "I mean… I think he likes you." I admitted.

Truth about that is that I really saw her birthday present being made, that or Gray has a secret girlfriend in the city that's favorite color in navy blue and she loves books. Ha, Mary's one of a kind, so I somehow doubt it.

"Well…" Mary looked flustered and embarrassed. "C'mon, Mary." I prodded her. "I…" She started. "C'mon…" I urged, nearly pleading. "You have to tell your best friend after I provided you with this vital information on my part!"

"… … …" After many moments of silent arguments with herself, Mary answered. "Yes, Lucy, I do like Gray." She answered her voice calm, her face flustered.

"Well, we got that over and done with, good job getting through that, Mary, darling!" I exclaimed. I always called Mary 'darling', heck I called _everyone_ darling at one point or another, even Pastor Carter.

"Where you headed next, darling?" I asked, still in my peppy, cheerful state. "I'm heading to the Inn, for lunch. Um," I glanced at my watch, "I'm heading to the Inn for dinner-ish." She decided.

"Are you going for a specific reason?" Mary teased, a coy look on her face. "Oh, you, you got me." I admitted, "The student has become the teacher, young grasshopper." Bowing to Mary, I chimed, "So, are you Inn,** [2]** or out?"

Thank goodness, Gray had left about ten minutes prior to the ending of our talk. I had heard the door close when he left.

Mary rolled her eyes, but nodded, "Sure, Lucy. After all, best friends are always there for each other, especially when confronting crushes."

As I was about to mumble a 'touché', I smirked, "And that'll be both of us." Referring to Gray staying at the Inn, too.

"At least we'll do it together." Mary mumbled, blushing again. "Mhmmm!" Lucy agreed, nodding happily.

"Lock up, quick, Mary!" Waiting at the door, I chimed, "The food's going to get cold!" "I'm coming, I'm coming!" Her voice chimed from beneath her desk. She had dropped a pen, while she was trying to clean up, common Mary.

After getting the pen and turning off the lights, Mary exited the library and followed her over-excitable chum. "We're going the INN!" I burst, skipping in enjoyment. "Come, Mary!" I instructed before linking arms with Mary and beginning to sing, "We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz!"

What? Wizard of Oz is a classic!

Mary forced a smile as she inwardly gulped and thought, '_This… is going to be a long day…_'

**Okay! Okay! How was it?**

**And just to note this:**

**You may be thinking, 'Love at first sight? OH please!'**

**And just let me say this: I was thinking the same thing, but then I realized two things. One, that chapter was already published, too late, and doesn't this character seem like one to be like that? Fall head over heels in just a glance? 'Cause that's what I think she'd do. =D Just so we have that covered. The next chapter will be up shortly seeing as I've already written half, at least, of it. =] And… You'll be learning a teeny bit of Lucy's past in Chapter Four and more in Chapter Five. =] Exciting~! But, yeah… See you next chapter. Remember to rate and review. =]**


	3. Chapter Three: Home Alone

**Well, first person point of view won. I'm writing this, ironically, last. And it's time for me to sleep. G'night…**

When we got to the Inn, Doug was there to greet us, as usual. He was always there, so no be shocker to us two.

"Hello, girls! Do you know what you'll have today?" Doug asked, smiling at us.

Menus weren't standard issue at the Inn, I'd learned. Since it had been around for so long and there was no one new there, (Though, when I got here, they graciously made me a menu.), we all knew our favorites and the menu by heart.

I grinned, opening up my mental 'Big Book of Smart Aleck Retorts', "When does the bar open up, again?" And then Mary hit me. Once again, no big shocker. "Alright, alright." I just rolled my eyes, "Hm… Give me a minute." I requested to Doug.

"I'll have… some water and apple pie!" I claimed, triumphantly, "I totally earned it today!" I remarked. While Mary ordered, I busied herself with gazing adoringly at the stairs, as if some angel would appear at the bottom of them and lead me to Heaven. Gosh I have an overactive imagination…

Turning my focus back to lesser things, like reality, I gave Mary a nervous grin and told Doug, "While the food's being made, we'll go see Ann." And seeing as Doug gave no objection, I grabbed Mary by the arm and bolted up the stairs, to see the another very good friend of theirs, Ann. And/or a couple of certain males, of course.

Walking to the first room on the left, I opened the door, making a… theatrical… entrance, as per usual. "Ann! Darling! Wonderful to see you, how've you been?" I asked, quickly, smiling happily at the confused red head.

Mary laughed the tiniest bit and said, "Hi Ann." Waving, and standing slightly behind me.

Ann grinned back, her bangs flopping in her face while she waved with her left hand, putting down the rag in her right on the table. "What brings you gals here?" She asked, laughing briefly.

"We're just visiting." Mary remarked, as I bounded forward and hugged Ann, before stepping back and looking at Ann distastefully, "Geez. What've you been doing all day?" I remarked to her after getting a little mud on my shirt.

Ann rolled her eyes, "It's called working, and it's probably a new concept to you, city girl." She said, smirking. I rolled my eyes, it was all in good fun. Ann and I loved to have 'insult fights'.

"It's called technology, village girl." I shot back, before laughing it off, "Anywho, we're just dropping by."

Ann smiled, looking sunny through her dirty face. "Oh! Well, thanks! You know I love company," She said, happily. "Is there anything special you want to talk to me about?" Ann knew us too well. No hiding anything from her.

She was part of their trio, and had been since she had found me passed out in front of the Inn, on one of my first days of summer, last year. If anyone asks, it never happened…

Mary and I stared at each other, not sure what to say. Well… That was true until I blurted in out, as I tended to do with rumors, small secrets, and social security numbers. Just don't tell Homeland Security.

"I'm in love! So's Mary!" I squealed happily, jumping up down for the second time that day. Ann looked surprised, at the least, "Who?" She asked a little bewildered.

"Well, um, Cliff and Gray!" I explained, my voice barely above a whisper, the two names extracting a girlish giggle from Ann, "The boys next door!" Ann joked, quietly.

Mary's face looked like a tomato, but I was completely fine with admitting it, feelings were nothing to be ashamed of, after all.

However, all of that noise had attracted (Irritated, more like it.), something dangerous, something terrifying… A male.

"Could you, um, be a little quieter?" Cliff asked, his face pointed towards the ground.

Two parts of my conscious spoke. The first part squealed, '_He's sooo adorable!!_'' the second part scoffed. Quiet down? QUIET DOWN?! We were barely making any noise? And besides, what were the two boys doing that required concentration at 6:50 P.M.?!

Nevermind… I don't want to know.

Both Ann and Mary looked towards me for an answer, but at the moment, I was a zombie, and all I wanted was his flesh.

At least, from the pale skin and wide eyes, and even a little gawking, as the girls told me later, that's how those conclusions were made.

Therefore, Mary had to step in to answer, and Ann did, too, at the same time.

The next words out of their mouths were a mix between, an angry "We're not that loud!" And a mumbled "We'll be quiet."

Cliff just stood there, obviously awkwardly, probably wondering if he should accept the answer or not. The tension and awkwardness around us four was so thick, I could have written my name in the air. My full name.

"I, uh, should go now… Bye." Cliff said, turning to walk out the door while Mary gave me a look and Ann vehemently gestured to me. '_Say something!_'' Ann mouthed, shaking her arms repeatedly at Cliff's back.

But lets face it, I was as brain-dead as someone with a 109 degree fever. Unfortunately, Ann blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Would you like to go over to Lucy's for dinner?"

Cliff froze, mid-stride, turning to Ann and asking her a startled, and a bit strained, "What?!" He nearly choked on his words. Ann smiled, "Mary and me feel that as her friends, it's our job to make sure she's friends with everyone in town, and you don't know Cliff very well, do you Luc?" She asked me, yet I remained in my zombified state, until Mary jabbed me in the ribs with her elbow.

"Huh, yeah." I mumbled, quickly, snapping out of my trance. "Great then! Eight o'clock. Her house, be there." Ann grinned, crossing her arms, satisfied greatly with her work.

Cliff nodded and mumbled something incoherent, walking out of the room and presumably back into his own.

At that point, I was confused. I blinked, "Eight o'clock, what?" I asked, out of my trance now that he was gone. Ann smirked, "Your date."

I furrowed my eyebrows, giving Ann a confused look, "My what?"

On the way pushing me out the door, Ann explained. "Your date. With Cliff. Now come on, we have to get you to your house to get ready. Hmm… Hey Mary, wilting flower, bright and bubbly, or smoldering temptress?** 1**"

**1: _ He he. I was watching Moulin Rouge… And while I own it on DVD, I do not own the idea of Moulin Rouge. ^^ Or Harvest Moon, I do, however, own Luciana Evans, her background, and part of this plot. =)**

**How'd you all like it? I'm already starting on the fourth chapter, so don't worry. =) It shall be out soon. And I do notice this one was somewhat short. Sorry!**


	4. Chapter Four: Paprika Problems

[b] I m back! Returning from the grave after two years. Please, don t hurt me! [/b]  
Ann and Mary pretty much pushed me back to my house even after my desperate pleadings of I can t cook! They insisted I could come up with something, especially after winning this year s Cooking Festival Darn my pride!  
After we reached our destination, I was left with an empty kitchen, a fridge full of ingredients, and a quickly approaching deadline. This wasn t going to be easy.  
I stared at the fridge like a whiteboard full of mathematical equations. I didn t realize how much stuff! I had saved in here. Onions, turnips, pumpkins What the heck could I do with a pumpkin? I m sure I could think of something I stared at the whole kitchen for who knows how much longer until I finally got an idea! The light bulb went off inside my head and the room seemed brighter. Speaking of bright rooms I moved to turn on a light, it was getting dark outside.  
I brought my pot down and began to add ingredients willy-nilly. Perhaps I was going a little crazy at this point, but this had so much potential! I was reaching for my favorite spice when I heard a knock at the door. Oh crap.  
I was startled, and in my haste I dropped the jar. Tiny red specks flew everywhere. Could this be any worse ? The door!  
I hurried to the door and answered it before realizing the other important factor to this date . How I looked. I was obviously a mess. I had been working on the farm all morning and running around all afternoon. I had a mud stain on my knee and I m pretty sure a piece of hay way sticking out of my disheveled hair. I might have also had three dozen pimples and sweat stains underneath my armpits, but that was probably just my imagination.  
Cliff, hi. I feigned a smile. Hi there He mumbled, red in the face. Probably embarrassed for my tragic state of being! Come in. I offered, opening the door. Dinner will be ready in a moment. THE SOUP! My eyes went wide and I hurried to my precious pot of boiling glory leaving Cliff wandering in, observing the floor and surfaces covered in the spice.  
A gust of wind blew in from the open window whisking up the powder and blowing it haphazardly around the room. I covered my mouth and nose with my shirt while pouring the gumbo into two bowls. Cliff, however, was not so lucky.  
Ah Ah Achoo! The sneeze blew paprika everywhere once more, causing Cliff to sneeze again more violently and then again and again, each sneeze worse than the last.  
Another sneeze shook him almost off balance, and he leaned on the table for support. From what I could see, his eyes had begun to water, and he rubbed at them.  
Well, other than the sneezing, he seemed to be fine Those sneezes would soon subside right? Water eyes weren t that serious either. However, I could barely stand around for very much longer and watch him like this It seemed a great deal of pain, to be sure.  
Oh I began, We re getting you to the doctor ! With that, I went to his side, grabbed his arm, and proceeded to rush him out the door and towards the Doctor s with great haste, indeed.  
Once there, with the pop of a pill, things got a lot better. Cliff was sitting on the bed, looking slightly worried, like he always did, and I was sitting in the waiting room area, nervously twiddling my thumbs.  
With a final word from the Doctor, Cliff stood and walked with him to the front. The doctor spoke, Cliff is allergic to whatever spice you used and had an allergic reaction. Nothing severe, no anaphylactic shock, or anything. What could I do but throw my hands up in the air and shout Thank Goodness ? It seemed for a second like I had nearly killed him! Cliff s face was an unusual red color and I wasn t sure if he was embarrassed or if the puffiness from the paprika allergy was just wearing off. He hurried forward, glanced at me, and mumbled Good night, Lucy. , and hurried straight out the door.  
What a disaster Wait until Ann and Mary hear about this 


End file.
